Johann Tetzel was the 16th-century marketing mastermind whose financial funny
business helped build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He came up with a heartless
but effective scheme: selling forgiveness to the guilt-ridden masses. Under this
twisted plan, priests would issue "indulgences"—coupons that cancelled divine
punishment—to those who generously gave to the cause.
It worked like a charm. Tetzel raised tons of cash with his famous ditty, "As
soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." But he
also raised the ire of a few uncompromising men whose righteous voices ignited a
firestorm we now know as the Protestant Reformation. Today, some nationally
known charismatic leaders are peddling their spiritual covering in exchange for
tithes and offerings, and I'm hoping I'll hear another righteous outcry—and it
needs to come soon.
Many pastors probably do not realize how the behavior of some of their
colleagues has stereotyped the clergy. Frankly, some ministers set a bad example
in their community. And without realizing it, they are keeping people out of the
church--and maybe out of the kingdom of God.
Within the last year it has been brought to my attention that many pastors
have a different worldview, or mind-set, than the average born-again believer. I
have visited with other Christians who recommend not extending credit to the
"three Ps": painters, paper-hangers or pastors. Some businessmen will tell you
how pastors come in and expect--or even demand--a ministerial discount.
Why do people have this stereotype of church leaders--and is it deserved? Do
nonbelievers reject the pastor's message because of his or her lifestyle?
I am repeatedly asked, in the light of my book Total Forgiveness (Charisma
House), how does this teaching on forgiveness square with confronting sin in the
church? If one is to forgive another “totally” how can we exercise discipline in
the church? Is this not pointing the finger? A number of scriptures come to
mind, among them:
1. “‘If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just
between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter
may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to
listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the
church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector’” (Matt. 18:15-17,
NIV).
Someone has said that integrity is what you do when you're out of town and
nobody's watching. Integrity is essential for strong ministry over the long
haul. We must not ignore the threefold cord of ministry: integrity, faithfulness
and honesty.
Integrity. Without integrity, a minister doesn't have a prayer of finishing
strong. Some statistics suggest that more than half of those in ministry today
will not be in ministry 10 years from now. Why? One primary reason will be lack
of integrity. Integrity starts with things such as:
It is too early to assess the fallout of the current movement in Lakeland, Fla. I began watching GOD TV nightly after receiving two e-mails from England: "Revival has broken out in Lakeland."
I can never forget that my first reaction to the Toronto Blessing in 1994 was negative. I didn't believe it was of God. I didn't want it to be of God; I found the idea of falling on the floor and laughing hysterically rather offensive. Furthermore, if it really was of God, it would have come to Westminster Chapel first! I later affirmed it as being a genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
